Xi recommends: 'exchange Jesus for me'

hong-kong - Thousands of Christians in a desolate area in southeast China have to replace their images of Jesus in the living room for a photo of President Xi Jinping. The exchange is a prerequisite for government to be eligible for poverty reduction.

Xi wants poverty to be the past in China in 2020. With that campaign, he also seeks more control at the bottom of society, which was often ignored during the years of economic growth.

Christianity is gaining ground more in China. According to some estimates, there are more Christians in the country than the 90 million members of the Communist Party.

'Many households suffer from poverty in the family. Some are going to believe in Jesus to heal, 'said a party spokeswoman against the newspaper South China Morning Post. 'We are trying to tell them that disease is something physical and that the people they really can help are the communist party and Secretary General Xi. '